To Be a Father
by Nyodrite
Summary: When he died, Inu no Taishō never thought he would be reincarnated- as a human no less- but he made the best out of what he had. He became known as "The White Fang", he never imagined having another son- though he couldn't say he wasn't pleased about the development. He may not be able to see the first two, but he would do his best by Kakashi.
1. Prologue

Sakumo Hatake had never planned on having children, he recalled too much of his life as Inu no Taishō to _not_ feel the sharp sting of pain and remorse over abandoning his already born sons- even if his abandonment stemmed from dying. Despite this, when he held his third son for the first time Sakumo couldn't help but simultaneously love the child and regret that he'd never meet his elder brothers.

The baby's head was partially misshapen and nose flattened inconsequence from just being squeezed through the mother's birth canal, the ears- soft and floppy as they were- bent at the tips while the arms and legs curled from habit developed in the womb. The odd stump born from a cut umbilical cord drew attention when looking at the stomach, the genitals were slightly swollen and there was the familiar reddish-purple skin that had scared him so much at Sesshomaru's birth. There were small patches of dark hair that he knew may fall out, texture and coloring changing as the child grew- then the blue tinted eyes staring at him that may also change with age.

What gave him pause was the markings that were so similar to the ones he had as Inu no Taishō only smoother and a faded shade of the lightest of blue that would deepen and darken with age and power as the child- _the pup_- grew, though he pushed the knowledge back in order to revel in the moment of his son's birth.

"Sota-kun," The medic whom assisted with the birthing barked urgently to the teen whom had been acting as an assistant. "Come help me!"

There had been blood during, Sakumo knew this, but when the baby had been birthed and cleaned, it had been uninjured and he had put the blood out of his mind in favor of marveling over his son.

"Don't!" the assistant cried, the medic looked on with grim understanding.

The bleeding woman, now sitting up as best she could, ignored the cry focusing on the child, "I- I need to see..."

"Him." Sakumo informed her solemnly even as he strode over and moved the child so that she could see him. "A boy."

She, tearful and with a hint of resigned sorrow, raised a shaky hand to touch the baby's face before collapsing back into the bed. "He's perfect." she stated, allowing tears to fall. "You take care of him, Hatake-senpai, you...take care of...Kakashi."

His grip on his son tightened slightly, drawing the child that much closer to him, as he watched his son's mother pass away despite the medic's efforts.

Sakumo did not love Kaori Matsuoka. She was three years younger then him, a Jōnin whom had been partnered with him on a long-term, high-risk infiltration mission that they ended up having sex as a stress relief.

It wasn't love, him mourning the woman he had left and her the fiancé that had died, but he felt that it could have been when she had shown up three months pregnant to inform him that _he_ "had knocked me up, senpai" and swiftly followed up with "if you even _think _about having me have an abortion, so help me I will end you- Legendary White Fang or not" before he could even respond. He respected her, the woman whom had planned on having his child when she found out she was pregnant despite it being so much easier for herself to just abort it.

Sakumo did not love Kaori Matsuoka, but he mourned her all the same. His greatest sorrow that the boy- _Kakashi_, he could be nothing but Kakashi now- would grow up without the love of a mother.

* * *

**A/N:** Sakumo is/was Inu no Taishō, Kakashi's born and his mother now dead. A decent start for a prologue, if I may say so.

_**Next:**_

_Sakumo wouldn't say that as Inu no Taishō that he ignored his newborn son, but he never realized just how many things the Sesshomaru's mother had done instead of him- such as feeding._


	2. First Shift

Sakumo wouldn't say that, as Inu no Taishō, he ignored his newborn son, but he never realized just how many things that Sesshomaru's mother had done instead of him- such as feedings. Now that he was standing in his kitchen, struggling with one hand to pour the milk into a bottle while holding his wailing pup, murmuring nonsense to him- he felt a deep sense of admiration for her.

"Shhh...Kakashi, I know you're hungry- just a little bit...almost- _almost-_" he muttered, twisting the top on. "There- _here_!" that harried, triumphant cry came as he placed the nipple into Kakashi's open mouth.

The pup stared up at him with those wide, blue-tinted eyes for a long, seemingly assessing moment before deigning to suckle- it was, in a word, disconcerting. And he said so, "You're an odd child, _Sesshomaru_ was much less attentive and more agreeable at this age." The whelp gave no indication of understanding or even that of listening, face crinkling in pleasure- eyes, interestingly enough, pulling into the appearance of a _smile_ and he felt the need to repeat, "You are an odd child."

Sakumo, mostly content to allow his son to ignore him whilst feeding, turned his attention to those faded, light blue markings that marred his son's face. A deep inhale- his diminished sense of smell the most disconcerting thing to get used once he had grown enough to properly assimilate his former life's memories- informed him that his son was in fact an Inu yōkai pup, which concerned him as he was essentially human regardless of his memories and had no idea on _how_ it happened.

Setting the thought aside to puzzle on at a later date, he focused on what he _did_ know; Inu yōkai pups grew swiftly shortly after their birth as a way to enhance chances of survival, though they slowed down as they aged and grew enough to be able to care for themselves and the markings darken when the aging slows down.

Warm spit up on his chest and the wails of a displeased child drew Sakumo from his thoughts causing him to, with a grimace of disgust, swiftly make two shadow clones and set to work.

**.:_First Shift_:.**

The _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_ was the best jutsu ever created, no one would convince Sakumo otherwise. It was invaluable to have a clone to do the mundane, domestic things- everything from cleaning to shopping- along with heading to Mission's Desk informing them of his impromptu vacation.

Even with the help it was exhausting caring for a newborn alone, as he couldn't trust a clone not to be dispelled while caring for his son, and those first weeks were a terror.

In the first week Kakashi wailed approximately every hour and a half to be fed then promptly spit up and required a bath after which he'd fuss as Sakumo meticulously straightened, bent and rotated his sons limbs with the care of one handling glass. Following that Kakashi would settle enough to sleep until he made a mess of himself and required another bath.

The second week Sakumo watched, with some worry but no surprise, as Kakashi's ears grew firm and became pointed as Sesshomaru's had. His son had taken to watching him (eyes now golden yellow), making displeased grumbles when he stopped speaking- there was an incident that when the umbilical stump fell off, Kakashi smelled his own blood for the first time and tested his young lungs with how loud and long he could scream. Kakashi had also slowed in his eating, now demanding food every 2.5 to 3 hours.

At the third week Kakashi had started crawling enough that Sakumo had to send out a clone to get seals for a barrier that would stop his son without harming him- it turns out that many shinobi parents use similar barriers in regards to keeping their children from their weapons. His son also demanded to be held, pressing recently pointed ears to his chest in order to listen to his heart and nuzzling his neck- imprinting and recognizing him, inconsequence Kakashi absolutely _loathed_ clones.

The real milestone was when Kakashi looked at him resolutely and called him "Dah" before continuing on in a less comprehensive jumble of sounds.

Week four saw Kakashi screaming, fussing, biting and refusing to sleep as his first set of teeth grew in- made all the more irritable as he was weaned off of milk and forced into eating a new type of food. His son's hair, which had fallen out around the later half of the second week and earlier of the third, had started to grow once again- though now silver.

In week five, after teething, Kakashi started walking- the first time Sakumo had woken and found him gone was particularly horrifying and he promptly made another clone with the sole purpose of constantly watching his son (until he realized that having a clone stalk his son, regardless of intent, was a terrible habit to develop). Kakashi was also speaking more- things like "Daddy", "Up", "Foo'", "No", "Uhf Oo'" "S'eep" and, in regards to the clone, "S'oopi fa'e".

**.:_First Shift_:.**

In the middle of the sixth week and after much consideration, Sakumo sat with his son in the backyard. In his time as Inu no Taishō when he was raising Sesshomaru, he had taken his pup and coached him through his first transformation at the end of his ninth week- he, himself had went through his first transformation at the beginning of his eighth week.

"Kakashi," he started, drawing the attention from his son whom appeared as a toddler by human standards. "You know what you are, right?"

His son paused, as he tended to do as he thought, before answering, "I an Inu yōkai."

"As an Inu yōkai," Sakumo fell a little more in love with his son when the child beamed proudly over answering correctly, a tiny fang peeking out the crooked grin. "You have the ability to transform into your beast form- that's what we'll be working on today."

Kakashi's grin, if possible, grew, "I be doggy? Like Kanna?"

Kanna was a sable and white furred collie summon that Sakumo had introduced in order to ascertain that his son develop _some_ social skills beyond loving him and hating his clones. Kanna, an experienced mother to three litters and working on her fourth, dealt with his son's prodding, pulling, playing and questioning with fond patience and was swift to reprimand him should he go too far- treating him as her own pup.

On Kakashi's part, he absolutely _adored_ Kanna and thought she was the coolest thing ever even though he "loves Daddy mostest".

Sakumo's nod earned him a rush of eager questions that made him want to laugh, "You are different because you have both _chakra_ and _yōki_. The first thing you'll need to do is meditate and familiarize yourself with both- learn the similarities and differences."

He _did_ laugh at the face his son pulled, obviously the boy had believed that learning to 'be doggy' would be more fun.

**.:_First Shift_:.**

After two days spent meditating, with interruptions for things like eating and sleeping, Kakashi sprung to his feet in excitement, "I got it! My _chak'a_ is white an' crinkly an' _bzzz_! My _yōki_ is blue an' talky an' _grrrr_!"

Out of the exclamation, the interesting tidbit was that about his son's chakra- he had no idea that his son would be able to recognize his affinity- but Sakumo praised his son all the same before continuing. "Now, I want you to concentrate on your yōki. You need to listen to it's voice and let it guide you, but do not let it control you nor you it- treat it like a partner and find a middle ground between you."

"Med'ate?" Kakashi huffed in disappointment.

Sakumo nodded solemnly, smothering any laughter that would surely draw his son's ire, "Meditate."

**.:_First Shift_:.**

There wasn't any indication on the sixth day, eight days from the start of the training, given beforehand when Kakashi suddenly shredded his clothes in a burst of yōki, fur and larger mass accompanied by a triumphant howl.

His son was the size of a full grown Inuzuka dog but undeniably still a pup what with too large paws, floppy ears, so much fur that he looked like a furry marshmallow and a furiously wagging tail that shook his body. Though his fur matched his hair color, his eyes had turned the customary red and his markings had darkened to where they no longer looked faded, merely pale blue. Kakashi's _mokomoko_ went from his chin, down his neck and over his chest until it arched behind the right front leg onto the back and trailed down to the tail.

His son was, in a word, adorable. And Sakumo had no qualms informing him, even if it displeased his son.

* * *

**A/N:** "Hatake Kakashi: Eye-Smiling since Day One".

For Puppy!Kakashi's development I took a mix of baby and puppy development and pushed them together- Puppy!Kakashi developed quicker then Puppy!Sesshomaru though since Kakashi _is_ a genius. Also, which I found interesting, _Kakashi_ is taller then Sesshomaru (181 cm to 178 cm).

_**Next:**_

_As a legend going on high ranking missions meant that Sakumo was well paid, this did not mean money lasted indefinitely. There was also the matter of hiding the fact that his son wasn't human- he had heard of the discrimination against mere _containers_ and shuddered at the thought of the reactions to his son._


	3. Love over Pride

As a legend going on high ranking missions meant that Sakumo was well paid, this did not mean money lasted indefinitely. And on December 14th, the money he had saved had finally ran out as he had expected his son to be _human_ and had not prepared for how swiftly he would outgrow things- the first month he had practically given up on dressing his son in anything more then diapers and shirts.

Since there was also the matter of hiding the fact that his son wasn't human- he had heard of the discrimination against mere _containers_ and shuddered at the thought of the reactions to his son- he couldn't go on missions he normally would have and leave his son with a babysitter.

It was a problem that niggled at his mind, distracting him enough that he didn't realize what his son was doing until Kakashi managed to dig a hole and try to bury protesting cat, until one of his clones returned with the very last of his money spent (ingredients for miso soup with eggplants because it's his son's favorite) before dispelling and he got the memories did an idea strike him.

D-Rank missions were village oriented, weren't time consuming for an experienced shinobi and paid well enough for his purposes (which is a given as Sakumo knew quite a few people whom lived comfortably as Career Genin). It was simply a matter if he, Konoha's White Fang, would be able to put aside his pride to take the missions.

One look at Kakashi, in human form with his _mokomoko_ acting more like a boa then the scarf his son intended it to be, sulking in a corner of the backyard's rosewood veranda (he recalled helping his father painstakingly recreate when he was sixteen after a spar got out of hand) muttering about "stupid tress-passing cats" and he just _knew_-

_For him, Sakumo would do _anything_._

**.:_Love over Pride_:.**

"Back from your vacation? I think I have a nice S-Rank just for you-"

Sakumo cut off the chūnin, "Actually, I was looking for a D-Rank."

"A-a _D-Rank_," the chūnin struggled with the thought and Sakumo politely ignored how the rest of the room silenced themselves to eavesdrop. "B-but those are for _genin_!"

Sakumo felt the need to point out, "Jōnin go on them also."

"As a teacher for the _genin_," the chūnin sounded and looked positively _scandalized_ and he struggled with a laugh. "Not the _White Fang_!"

He gave a noncommittal hum, "Jōnin-sensei are jōnin all the same. A D-Rank suites my purposes- my mission?"

"I-..." the chūnin, as adorably bewildered as Kakashi was when he got him to try ice cream for the first time, finally gave up. "5,062 ryō- a woman needs help with her garden."

Claiming the mission scroll with a polite nod of thanks, Sakumo used _Konoha-Shunshin _to leave the Mission Assignment Desk and return home to where his son was taking a nap with Kanna watching over him along with her latest litter. Upon seeing his son sprawled on his bed (absently he noted that Kakashi would need a larger bed soon) and being used as a pillow for the pups he had spent the majority of the morning playing with, Sakumo glanced at the scroll before using another _Shunshin_ to get to the desired address.

The woman, as it turned out, wasn't lazy but rather nearly nine months pregnant and no longer allowed- "My husband worries far too much, I'm _pregnant_ not invalid!"- to work outside in her garden. Which made more sense when Sakumo found that the garden took up the majority of the, rather sizable, backyard with only the center being clear- not empty as there was a partially constructed playhouse.

Idly, he wondered if he should look into getting one for Kakashi- or maybe an obstacle course like the one at the Academy.

The mission itself, with the help of two clones, took nearly a half an hour to complete but he wasn't able to leave until another thirty minutes as he couldn't find a way to politely end the conversation his client had started until her husband came home for lunch.

"Hatake-san!" His name made him pause on his way back from the Missions Assignment Desk, since he decided to bring a treat home for his son, and he found Jiraiya's former student Minato jogging after him. "Is your vacation over? Jiraiya-sensei mentioned that you disappeared nearly three months ago after taking leave for a vacation."

Sakumo offered the six month chūnin a slight smile as he answered the question, "Not exactly, I've only taken a D-Ranked mission." Then, before the fourteen year old could press, asked, "Have you asked Uzumaki-chan out yet?"

"Hatake-san!" the teen yelped.

He laughed, ruffling the embarrassed boy's hair and changing the topic, "How's you're training going?"

"Jiraiya-sensei said I'm ready for complex seals-" the blond started.

The rest, however, faded as a thought struck him- _Fūinjutsu_. Some seals were used in order to hold long-lasting, undetectable henge or genjutsu for long-lasting infiltration missions. Only _he_ wasn't very accomplished in fūinjutsu, _Minato_ on the other hand...

"Why not try making a long-lasting infiltration seal that not even the Sharingan or Byakugan can detect?"

_Take the bait.._.

"That would be a challenge..." Minato mused. "Alright."

_Yes._

With a grin, his elation couldn't quite be smothered, Sakumo teased the blond, "If you get stuck it would give you a reason to talk to Uzumaki-chan."

* * *

**A/N:**Pride, conquered for the sake of love- I just realized the Aesop.

My inner smartass got loose in the second part when Sakumo said "Jōnin go on them also."- it's how I rationalize Trick or Treating ("_Adults _go too." - "As _parents_ for the _children_!" "Are they or are they not adults going door to door for candy?").

_**Next: Act I ends, Act II begins;**_

_Kakashi knew that Daddy had told him to never wander off, but there were just so many interesting smells he had never sniffed before- he didn't mean to get lost._


	4. Lost Puppy

Kakashi knew that Daddy had told him to never wander off, but there were just so many interesting smells he had never sniffed before- he didn't mean to get lost. It wasn't his fault, it was his first time _outside_ and he was excited!

Daddy had came home after naptime with a piece of paper, then he spent _days_ stitching it's pattern into the inside of a piece of cloth before turning _that_ into a mask for Kakashi to wear telling him "You have to wear this from now on- only take it off when I say so, alright?". Then, after letting him get used to it, took him from their home into the village Daddy told stories about and he was so curious and excited- and, now without Daddy, he was _lost_.

He tried hard, so _very_ hard, not to cry because _Daddy_ didn't cry and he wanted to be just like Daddy but he couldn't help it. Because Kakashi had never been without Daddy or Kanna before and being alone was _scary_. _And_ he couldn't transform and look for Daddy that way because Daddy said not to do that in front of humans because it would scare them and make them angry for being scared- he didn't really understand but it was a scary thought that the humans, whom are so very many, would be angry at him over doing something that is just a part of who he is.

He misery was so complete that he didn't notice the yellow-haired boy, larger and older and _human_, until he spoke, "Why are you crying, little one? Where's your parents?"

"I-" Kakashi paused when it came out as a sob before continuing anyways because he smelt Daddy, faint and almost washed out by shampoo, on the other. "Lost- my- _Daddy_!"

The loud wail made the human wince, "I'll help you find him." the other promised. "What's your father's name?"

Kakashi, whipping away the tears, gave the boy a look that showed how much he thought of the other's intelligence, "My father is _Daddy_." he answered resolutely.

"Okay..." the human paused before asking, "My name is _Namikaze _Minato, what is yours?"

"Hatake." Kakashi noticed the emphasis the other put on the surname and inferred it had some significance to humans. "_Hatake_ Kakashi."

Minato blinked, apparently stunned, and murmured, "Hatake-san is a _father_?" before saying, "I can take you home and tell a policeman to notify your dad."

"Daddy promised me ice cream." He announced a bit later, clinging to the human's back, after Minato spoke to a man with a weird fan-like insignia.

"...is that you asking for me to get you ice cream?" the question came out dryly, a tone that Kanna and Daddy sometimes took with each other.

He answered promptly, after all when Kanna and Daddy do it the one whom hesitates seems to be the loser, "If that is your way for saying yes."

**.:_Lost Puppy_:.**

"How come this was your first time away from your house?" Minato asked, the two of them savoring their ice cream while the sat on the front porch and waited until Daddy came.

Kakashi deliberately took a bite out of his ice cream as he recalled the cover story that his dad made him remember before leaving, "No one knows about me. Since Daddy's famous he and Mama thought it was best that way so no one could use me ag-enst him. I was suppose to go earlier but,"

_Lost, Daddy's gone, can't find-_

He continued, tears in his eyes. "Mama died along with my little sister and Daddy decided to take time off to stay with me."

Daddy, Kakashi knew from Kanna, had used a favor that an Yamanaka-person owed him to alter the memories of the medic and assistant whom helped his birth so that they saw a stillborn girl birthed.

Then, more to mess with the human then out of genuine sorrow (he didn't know his mother and never had a sister), dropped his ice cream as he sobbed, "I- miss- Mama-!"

"I'm- It's- You'll-" Minato stumbled over false starts -_I'm sorry_, _It's okay_ and _You'll get over it_ he thought were the most likely- before awkwardly patting his back, "There, there- you still have your Daddy, right?"

With a sniffle, though not a wet one because that'd be gross with his mask, he nodded, "I's still got Daddy." Then, with a bit of genuine disappointment, mumbled, just loud enough, sadly, "My ice cream..."

"I'll get you another next time," the human promised hurriedly, obviously worried about him bursting into tears again.

He started to smile, eyes pulling into the 'U's that unnerved Daddy so, when he heard Daddy shouting, "KAKASHI!"

"_Daddy_!" he cried, delighted.

The first thing his dad did was sweep him up, murmuring, "-on't you _ever_ do that to me again! Do you have any idea ho-" as he nosed Kakashi's hair.

"I'm sorry Daddy, but I'm alright." he promised, squirming slightly only to earn a tighter grip. "Minato stayed with me! He even promised me ice cream- an entire carton!"

"W-what? I did _not_!"

* * *

**A/N:** The reason for Kakashi's mask. The freak out about being lost;

A) he's never been beyond his house's backyard before.  
B) he's never been without either Kanna or his Dad before.  
C) he knows that he isn't human and everyone else _is_ and that he's not suppose to tell any one he's anything less then human.

All of which is scary for a not-even-one-year-old-regardless-of-appearance even if he doesn't fully understand it.

_**Next:**_

_Minato was weird, Minato was human but, Kakashi liked him all the same- he just didn't know how to interact with humans._


	5. Learning to Play

Minato was weird, Minato was human but, Kakashi liked him all the same- he just didn't know how to interact with humans. He watched them on his second outing, safely riding on top of Daddy's shoulders, decided that humans were just _weird_ and left it at that. This, however, didn't help him understand and led to what Kanna said were _misunderstandings_.

One such was when Minato came with ice cream as promised (an entire carton, which he felt reasonably smug about) he tried to get Kakashi to play what he called games- odd things like jumping over swinging ropes, covering a fist with a hand at the count of three and climbing trees like a _cat _to jump out like a _squirrel _to land in water- but what Kakashi decided were stupid, useless human activities. _Real_ games, Kakashi had told Minato seriously, were useful things like _den digging_ or provision burying- neither which the blond got.

It was Daddy whom calmly suggested, when they started to descend into something akin to nursing pups' yelping match out of frustration from neither understanding the other's game, that they try their hand at _hide and seek_. Initially they had played merely to placate his dad but, trying to find and chase down or hide and run from the blond, they ended up having fun.

They decided that Daddy was in charge of choosing the games they played.

**.:_Learning to Play_:.**

"The game is called_ Hunter of the Woods_," Daddy told them as they stood in the backyard before the gate- large, wide, both wooden and metallic- that separated the space that was the yard (where all good pups played) from the _grounds_ (forbidden, unless with Daddy, until now). "It has two players; Woodsman and Wolf, who's going to be which?"

Kakashi's hand shot up, "Can I be Wolf!? _Please_, Daddy?"

"Alright," Daddy allowed at Minato's nod before continuing to explain the game. "There are two places that I've marked off as your homes; _Cabin_ for Woodsman and _Den_ for Wolf. Woodsman is to find his cabin, five minutes after the Woodsman starts his search then Wolf will start to hunt Woodsman. Both of you will have shots filled with red paint." Daddy showed them two open weapons pouches, one had four little balloons and the other three. "Wolf needs to hit Woodsman with three shots to kill him, Woodsman needs two to kill Wolf- only Woodsman can't shoot until after Wolf's first shot."

Minato frowned, "What if we run put of shots before we kill the other?"

"If you run out of shots then you have to run on home before fifteen minutes are up or you die. Last one alive wins." Daddy answered simply. "Here- Woodsman," the pouch with three balloons were given to Minato, secured at his waist. "Wolf." the four balloon pouch was secured at _his_ waist. "Woodsman, you may head home."

The blond blinked, "Wait, how do we know if we're going the right way 'home'?"

"That's part of the game, now go on- only four minutes and forty-six seconds left." Daddy said, prodding the human towards the gate. Minato had barely disappeared from sight when Daddy started going through hand signs, "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Kakashi snarled as three copies of Daddy appeared, "_Fake_!" he growled furiously. "You're not Daddy!"

**_Not Pack! False Packmates!_**his yōki howled just as angrily.

"'Kashi, it's okay." Daddy, the _real_ one- _packmate_, told him. "I just need them to help watch over the game. Speaking of...Wolf can start his hunt!"

With a final glare at the fakes, Kakashi headed out in the direction Minato went, tugging his mask down just enough to barely uncover his nose. A deep inhale found him the human's trail and his yōki, which had been easier to feel and hear after shifting, howled in triumph.

**_Prey-Trail, we hunt!_**

He had loped past the farmland growing things from tomatoes, potatoes and corn to strawberries, mint and basil and into the beginning reaches of the small forest area when the trail seemingly vanished. With a frown, and ignoring his yōki's displeased growls, he retracted his steps until he found where the trail ended and crouched to look at the prints.

The impressions of sandals were light enough, the ground not damp enough for them to be all that deep, but the final set were more visible then the rest- the toes most pronounced as the seemed to have had the most weight on them. Thoughtfully he mimed jumping, feeling how his toes pressed into the ground as his heels lifted of the ground and, with a self-satisfied nod, he used a bit of chakra to jump into the trees.

_**Trail found! Hunt continue! **_His yōki cried out happily.

With just enough yōki- **_Stalk! Chase! No lose prey!_ Faster_!_**- to guide his chakra, he raced through the trees, following the trail until the scent thickened enough for _:Fun! Play! Win!: _ to be deciphered from the human's scent. Once he came into hearing range- **_Yes! Find! Thump-thump, Prey-Heart,_**_** thump-thump!**_- he went higher, arching along the trail as he sought out the other.

As he caught sight of the human- **_Prey sighted! Pounce! _**- he grabbed hold of a balloon, watching a moment to know the other's stride enough to predict where Minato would be before throwing.

**_Miss! No!_ **His yōki hissed as the blond twisted, he growled lowly when a balloon splattered red paint on his shoulder before he moved out the way. **_Prey strike! Retreat! _**He didn't want to but Minato had already threw another shot that he barely dodged.

Then his yōki was rumbling, **_Easy prey for _Pack_!_**

_No pack, _ he tried to explain.

**_No pack here, alone for now._**His yōki agreed mournfully before shouting excitedly when he shot and hit. _**Prey hit! Again! **_

Minato had one shot left, which he tossed and Kakashi dodged- _**No! False! Decoy!** _his yōki roared even as a balloon splattered more paint on him.

"You did good," the human congratulated him, "You hit a chūnin without any training!"

He glared, it didn't _feel_ like an accomplishment, as his yōki sulked, **_We stalk, we fail. _**

* * *

**A/N:** Puppy!Kakashi's yōki speaks! Though it _shouldn't _be too surprising as it was mentioned when he was learning to shift. For why it's talkative _now- _well, the 'hunt' brings forth a lot of instincts which would have it louder then it already is.

As for _Hunter of the Woods_, I just made it up looking up variations of _Tag_.

_**Next:**_

_Kakashi wasn't sure _why_ but he was angry when Minato skipped a meeting (not a play date, _never_ a play date) to spend time with _Uzumaki_- it really didn't help that Daddy seemed amused when he expressed his confusion._


	6. Fear of Prejudice

Kakashi wasn't sure why but he was angry when Minato skipped a meeting (not a play date, _never_ a play date) to spend time with _Uzumaki_- it really didn't help that Daddy seemed amused when he expressed his confusion. And, though he didn't know why, he remained angry when Minato came over- three hours, twenty-seven minutes and fifty-four seconds after the blond had _promised_ to be over before sending a toad with a message.

He ignored the human, feeling entirely justified when his yōki snarled in righteous anger, **_Packmate leave for fox! We better then filthy, stupid _fox_!_**

"Kakashi?" the human had the _audacity_ to look bewildered. "Why are you ignoring me?"

He glared, _You know why!_, and announced, "Daddy, can you inform this- this..._liar _that I am not talking to him?"

Daddy, not even looking up from his book, obeyed, "Minato-kun, my son refuses to talk to you."

"Ahh..." the stupid, fox-loving, pack-betraying, _human_ scratched the back of his head before looking at Daddy, "Hatake-san, do _you_ know what I did to be labeled a liar?"

Daddy looked up from his book, amusement clear, "I believe 'Kashi feels neglected over your earlier disregard for your guys'...ah..._meetings_."

"Am not!" Kakashi protested, cheeks puffing out in indignation. "_Stupid_ Daddy!" he shouted, tossing the wooden puzzle he had been playing with to the ground before running to the backyard.

He had been curled up at the base of the tree he first learned to climb when he heard Kanna approaching, "What's wrong, Puppy-mine?"

"'Nato 'sa liar." He mumbled into his knees, leaning against the collie when she laid beside him.

"Why is this so?" She pressed.

Kakashi frowned, "Minato's _pack_. He doesn't live here so _pack_ is incomplete until he visits." He reasoned. "But now he missed visit, left _pack_ incomplete, to spend time with Uzumaki. What if he leaves our pack to start a _new_ pack with Uzumaki?" then, very quietly, "What if he likes her better 'cause I'm weird and he hates me 'cause I'm not human?"

"Oh, Child of My Heart," Kanna sighed.

"He _could_." he muttered, "That's why Daddy says to wear the mask- 'cause the humans would hate me."

Kanna said nothing and he could almost hate her because he had so desperately wanted her to tell him that he was wrong- but knowing she wouldn't incase it turned out to be a lie.

* * *

**A/N:** ...yeah, not sure what else to say. Kanna makes an appearance though. Very short, but important.

**_Next: Act II ends, Act III begins;_**

_Life goes on, people move forwards and children go to school- Sakumo knew this, he just didn't like sending his 11th month old (human equivalent of 4 years old) son away._


	7. Send Off

Life goes on, people move forwards and children go to school- Sakumo knew this, he just didn't like sending his 11th month old- human equivalent of 4 years old- son away. But it had to be done, and now that his son's aging had slowed to that of a human's, he no longer had an excuse to hoard him away. Also it might help take the fear away from Kakashi about interacting with humans- or Minato hating and/or abandoning him.

(Which was a obstacle in and of itself that he had addressed as soon as Kanna told him and, in consequence, Minato missed no more play dates, meeting with Kushina in the evenings to ensure such.)

Logically Sakumo _knew_ it was good for his son to go to school- to interact with children, essentially, his own age. Emotionally, well, it was all he could not to snatch his pup up an hide him away for as long as he could. But he managed to send off his whelp, all wide-eyed and eager under a stiffness born of fear and uncertainty, with little incident- even if Kakashi had to be nudged on...and he had to be dragged away.

**.:_Send Off_:.**

Sakumo _could_ say he handled being without his son for longer then an hour well but, then, that would have been a lie.

The first two hours were fine- he cleaned the house with a thoroughness that hadn't been used for nearly a year, helped along some of the struggling crops in the 'farmland' with his chakra and made sure the few animals they kept (two cows, one goat, a horse, six hens, one rooster, two pigs and five sheep) were cared for. After he grabbed a book and settled in to read.

Five minutes after the second hour he could no longer concentrate on the words. At seven, he started fidgeting. And at ten he was stalking from the house and into the village for something to distract him.

He wandered around for all of fifteen minutes before breaking down and going to acquire a few missions to distract him- he did four D-Ranked missions in quick succession that ate up three hours before he deemed himself emotionally unfit for duty when he very nearly failed the fourth.

At which point, five and a half hours after dropping off Kakashi, he started towards the Academy because _surely_ it wouldn't matter if his son was taken out of school early- right? Right.

Evidently Minato didn't think so.

How the teen knew where he was or what he'd do was the mark of a great ninja...or a nosey, obsessive stalker- and he was going with the later because he was definitely unhappy that the teen's great plan was convincing Jiraiya to challenge him to a _public_ fight just to show the village, women especially, that the Toad Sage was the best. Since, apparently, Sakumo had been bragging about being better.

Which he _was_, but he wouldn't brag about- A) there was no need as everyone was already aware of this fact and B) Jiraiya pulled stupid things like this when he learned about it.

That the entire thing worked so well that he was still going at it with Jiraiya when Minato returned with Kakashi did not make him feel any more charitable towards the teen. Though he couldn't deny that he was pleased over how _awed_ his son was over his fight.

Sakumo _really_ hoped that it wouldn't always be like this when his son was at school.

When Minato questioned offhandedly about why didn't he take a C-Ranked mission near the village since he was skilled enough to get it done in hours, Sakumo decided that the teen was officially on his list- right with Jiraiya and Tsunade during his bimonthly torture-sessions-disguised-as-physicals.

* * *

**A/N:** Back to Sakumo, whom worries about his son very much. And Minato getting revenge (intentional? Hmm).

**_Next:_**

___His son was a shinobi, training and going on missions, but really Kakashi was still just a pup- Sakumo just needed to find a way to show him that he could still be a child outside of missions._


End file.
